So what would you do? Engine choices for the wagon

[Roothawg]

As some of you know I have a 57 Ford Country sedan that I recently acquired.  It's a nice old car, pretty much unmolested.  This is my first go around with later Fords ( I usually build pre-49) and I am at a loss here. The old Y block runs good but is tired. I am afraid that after I drive it for a while, it may start a slow dying process.

I guess the easiest way for me to get this question out there is to explain what I want out of the wagon.  The goal is to leave the wagon looking stock.  I want to drive this thing daily, go anywhere in the country, pull a light weight race car and 2 wheel trailer, occasionally pull a vintage camping trailer behind it, and hopefully be able to do that without getting 8 mpg.  I want my wife to be able to drive it without knowing the "secret code of rituals", pump 3 times, hold radio button and turn key.

It currently has a 292 with a fordomatic and power steering.  I don't want to M2 the front end so any swap must be a direct fit.

Here are my options:
Rebuild the 292

Go with an FE motor
5.0 conversion

What say Ye?

[RICH MUISE]

IMHO what you are wanting has self eliminated your first two options. If you're talking an efi 5.0, I'd go with a 5.0 or 4.6 for the combination of power, reliability, and gas economy. Also gives the added advantage of getting help or parts from a Ford dealer if you're on the road. Of course as far as initial costs and conversion labor you're at the other end of the spectrum from just rebuilding the old Y

[Ford Blue blood]

I'm an EFI type guy for drivers that do extra duty.  Give serious considerarion to a light truck 302/AOD.  My 93 F150 with 3:55 axle gave me a solid 20 on the road at 70 MPH.  Pulling a trailer with a heavy car on it (62 Bird) I got between 11 and 15 depending upon the terrain.  I averaged 15 with my 2010 F150 (4.6 3 valve) on a recent trip to TX to pick up a 57 Ford 2 dr th minus engine and transmission.

[JimNolan]

Roothawg,
   Do you know the difference between a two cylinder 650cc Honda and a 1300cc six cylinder Kawasaki is at @65mph. The kawasaki gets 10mpg better gas mileage. The difference between a 302ci 1974 Ford truck engine and a 460ci 1975 Ford truck engine at @65mph. The 460ci gets 5mpg better gas mileage. This I learned from experience.
   If you've got a standard transmission you can turn your old motor mounts around, install an FE engine and bell housing and be on the road the next day. You'll get better gas mileage and more torque for pulling.
   All bets go out the window with the newer electronic controlled engines though. I don't know a thing about those. Don't want to know. I don't understand everything I know about the FE's. Jim

[Roothawg]

The most this wagon will pull would be around 3000 lbs.  I want to travel the US in a vintage car pulling a vintage trailer.  Just my pipe dream.  I just don't need a frame up, 5 year project.  I have 3 of those going now.  I don't know much about the later 302's but I am a little scared of all of the electronics etc.

[hogwagon]

We are in the same situation with a ranch Wagon we bought with a grenaded 292 Y block 3 speed. Vintage trailer and wife has to be able to drive it. More her car than mine. A 351 EFI with a T5 is the best of everything I have researched so far. Same mounts and all as 302 so may do a donor car 302 then if need more will swap out the 351. A 94 Mustang than rolled on its side by a younger man that lost his licence may be the donor so I will pirate everything out of it. Ford Blue Blood has me convinced we can do it and I like the no combination 3 pumps and a little choke ritual removed deal for the wife. I would never hear the end of it.

[shopratwoody]

A bone stock 429/460 1971 or before put out about 480 ft lbs
of torque at 2800.
Crites sells the motor mounts and rear crossmember. FPA has quality
shorty headers that are real nice.

[Roothawg]

I prefer to go with an automatic. Maybe a AOD or something similar.

[canadian_ranchero]

when i worked for ford in the early 90's,the 5L crown vics would get about 30 mpg on the highway and had the power to pull a small trailer.with duals put out 160 net hp.i am working on a 4.6 swap for my ranchero,the 5L swap is a little simpler than the 4.6.right now the ranchero has a stock 67 289 and gets almost 25mpg,will cruse 60mph all day long [need a overdrive]just some things to think about.

[Bubba]

Bros:
Like Brother Jim Nolan, I am an FE guy.  You get plenty of torque for your buck, all but the more exotic ones [427 side oilers, etc] are reasonably priced and great pulling engines.  All sorts of intake combinations and cam shaft grinds avalilable, etc.  The transmission is were it gets sticky, if your wife is comfortable driving a stick then go with a top loader or five speed.  The 5 speed conversions and AOD transmissions for any FE aren't cheap [4 to 5K].  So if you can go with the top loader and a decent final drive ratio for pulling the FE will do a great job for you. I've got a bud in Winchester, VA who specailizes in FE engines, reasonable priced and top quality.  I purchased my 428 CJ from him. Let me know if you would like his contact information.
BuBBa

[rmk57]

I'd go with a 351 windsor. There plentiful, cheap to build and a nice no hassle fit for a 57.

[JimNolan]

Roothawg,
     Did you know that the 292 was used in trucks all the way up to 1964. I worked on one once in a dump truck. Apparently there's nothing wrong with the pulling power of a 292 depending on how you gear it. The biggest disadvantage to going with a newer style engine is the cost and complications of changing over to electronic control, making mounts and then having to alter the drive train and differential to match everything. You may end up with a car that gets 25 mile to gallon but you have to drive it 50K miles a year to enjoy the benifits due to the expense of the swap. You'll have a whole lot less money in rebuilding the engine you have.
    My car gets 23mpg on a trip at 65mph. But, it cost me big time to do that. The transmission swap with a $2500 Tremec ended up being $4500 counting everything else ( drive shafts, mounts, bell housing, clutch and PP, gear shifter,bigger radiator, new carpet) and that's using an FE engine that uses the same motor mounts.
    IF I HAD ANOTHER 57 THAT I WANTED TO MAKE DRIVABLE IN TODAY'S ECONOMY I'D KEEP THE ENGINE I HAD AND SPEND THE MONEY ON A TRANSMISSION INSTEAD OF AN ENGINE. HAVING A CAR THAT LAYS RUBBER IN ALL FOUR GEARS AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE. I know this is a reversal of what I first recommended but I just bought gas at $4.20 a gallon. Jim

[cool57]

Roothawg,
     Did you know that the 292 was used in trucks all the way up to 1964. I worked on one once in a dump truck. Apparently there's nothing wrong with the pulling power of a 292 depending on how you gear it. The biggest disadvantage to going with a newer style engine is the cost and complications of changing over to electronic control, making mounts and then having to alter the drive train and differential to match everything. You may end up with a car that gets 25 mile to gallon but you have to drive it 50K miles a year to enjoy the benifits due to the expense of the swap. You'll have a whole lot less money in rebuilding the engine you have.
    My car gets 23mpg on a trip at 65mph. But, it cost me big time to do that. The transmission swap with a $2500 Tremec ended up being $4500 counting everything else ( drive shafts, mounts, bell housing, clutch and PP, gear shifter,bigger radiator, new carpet) and that's using an FE engine that uses the same motor mounts.
    IF I HAD ANOTHER 57 THAT I WANTED TO MAKE DRIVABLE IN TODAY'S ECONOMY I'D KEEP THE ENGINE I HAD AND SPEND THE MONEY ON A TRANSMISSION INSTEAD OF AN ENGINE. HAVING A CAR THAT LAYS RUBBER IN ALL FOUR GEARS AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE. I know this is a reversal of what I first recommended but I just bought gas at $4.20 a gallon. Jim

I heartily agree! Just for the sake of change I swapped a perfectly good running 292/Fordomatic for a 5.0 EFI/AOD. I pain in the butt and it does take a long time to pay off. If I had to do it over I'd keep the 292 and add a later OD trans.

[Frankenstein57]

I've been driving my 58 around getting used to the 292 3-speed OD, it's like having a 4-speed. The car has a 3.89 gear, quite a bit more yank than I expected. I wired the OD solenoid to a lighted switch on the dash, its a pretty neat setup. Anyone know what the ratio is on the OD? I don't know guys, I love a big block as much as anyone but all of my FE trucks got 10-12 mpg didn't matter if you were pulling a trailer or not. Can't imagine a 460 would be much better,Mark

[JimNolan]

Mark,
   You're absolutely right on the trucks. But, the cars got got about 13mpg town and 15-16mpg on the highway. I've had galaxies and fairlanes that got that with the 390's and 3.00 and 3.25 rear gears.
    All this bragging I've been doing about getting 23mpg with a Tremec doesn't really tell the story. I put about 12,000 miles a year on my car. Drive it all the time. 80% of those miles I get 15mpg ( I've checked and double checked). 20% of those miles I get 22-23mpg. At $4.20 a gallon I'm spending @ $3009.00 on gas to run my car a year. If I hadn't done anything to my car and still had an original drivetrain it would cost me @ $3721.00 for gas. That's a savings of $712.00 a year on gas. But, to benifit from the transmission swap it won't have paid for itself for 6.3 years.
    Would I do it again, yes. The transmission is quite, the car rides smoother and it's a lot of fun. Last summer I was leaving a car show cruising down 30 (4 lane) and a beautiful Torino pulled up beside of me. He ran along beside me for a while and acted like he wanted to race. You could hear his engine was already making rpm at @65mph. He had a big grin on his face. The grin went away when I dropped the Tremec back into 4th gear. He had a look of shock on his face. I've got to say I'm getting my $4500 back in fun with that transmission. Jim    ( PS ) The OD on a T85 is .70 and that's a great transmission if you don't power shift.